AnaSpec is pleased to release the first commercially available FRET-based assay kit for the measurement of Insulin Degrading Enzyme (IDE) activity - the SensoLyte ® IDE Activity Assay Kit.

Insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), an extremely conserved Zn2+ metalloendopeptidase, belongs to the M16A metallopeptidase family.1-3 IDE is expressed in almost all tissues and distributed in the cytosol. IDE degrades various substrates such as insulin, IGF-II, TGF-α, glucagon, amylin, calcitonin, β-amyloid and amyloid precursor protein (APP); hence, IDE is considered a physiological and pathological relevant enzyme.4-6 Growing evidences have indicated that IDE may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and diabetes mellitus type 2.2, 7, 8 A paper published in the May 21st (2014) issue of Nature reported that an IDE inhibitor increases insulin and leads to higher glucose tolerance, thus making IDE a potentially new target for the treatment of diabetes.9